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Our children are hearing about the corona virus. Friends are joking about it; teachers are making extra efforts to be cautious; radio and tv are mentioning it; we are talking about it amongst ourselves. What they are hearing and how they are responding will be different for each child. A very imaginative seven year old boy came to my office explaining the virus like a gas that will come over the city and kill us all. He is terrified. Another teenage girl in my office is begging her parents to cancel their Spring Break plans because she is afraid.

Here are some general guidelines for talking with your kids.

1. Talk with them. Make a point to have an age-appropriate conversation.2. Ask them what they have heard.3. Tell them simple facts about the virus and what is happening.4. Give them a plan for your family.5. Point them to truth!6. THEN do something different. Distraction is good in these times to help break the worry cycle.

For younger kids (3-4) - There are some pretty yucky germs going around right now. These germs may give us fever and a cough. If you start feeling yucky, tell mom or dad or the school nurse. We will give you some medicine and let the dr. know.

For kids (5-above) What have you been hearing about some pretty yucky germs going around right now? JUST LISTEN. These germs cause a sickness called Corona Virus. People who have this sickness may have a really high fever and cough a lot. If you start feeling yucky, tell mom or dad or the school nurse. We want to be careful to wash our hands and not drink after each other. If we do get sick, we will take some medicine and talk with a doctor. ASK: are you a little worried or concerned about getting sick? Validate: Yes, it is hard to think about being sick. Mom and Dad do not like being sick either. REMIND: when we are thinking about these things, we know that God loves us and is with us no matter what. God cares about our bodies. God is even bigger than sickness. You can tell Him you are worried and He will hear you. Pray for God to calm our hearts and protect our bodies.

Check in with your older children to hear what they are hearing from others. If you find that your child is not wanting to participate in regular activities, is wanting to talk about the virus non-stop or is not wanting to be away from you or home, call a counselor or someone who can be an outside voice to help encourage and work through this worry.

Lastly, as always, be mindful and cautious with what you are talking about and listening to in front of your children. Little ears pick up on words and tone even when we are unaware.

For many, myself included, the start of a new year is associated with making a resolution; a firm decision to do, or not do, something throughout the upcoming year. Some people want to lose weight, others want to save money, or perhaps, spend less time working and more time with family and friends. Whatever it is, all of us have things in our life that can lead to us feeling dissatisfied. Even when life is great, our brains often have a way of reminding us of that one little thing that could be even better. The start of a new year brings about a certain amount of pressure to commit to a change. For many, coming up with, and committing to, a resolution can be a worrisome thing. Change is hard, life happens, and the calendar fills up. Before you know it, your resolution is the furthest thing from your mind. Thinking about what change to make may cause someone to reflect back on the past year and decide what went “wrong”. In other words, what could they have done differently to be happier with where they are now. Alternatively, others may look ahead to the future and think about all the “what if this” and “maybe that”, which can lead to anxiety about things that have not happened and may never happen! This year instead of committing to a resolution, what if instead we were to commit to a way of thinking; a new way of how we approach the world that can lead us to no longer dread change or fear the unknown, but accept and embrace it. This way of thinking is called mindfulness. Mindfulness is the process of bringing your thoughts and attentions to the experiences happening in the present moment. The idea and practice of being mindful, fully in tune with your thoughts, feelings, and actions in the moment, can be found throughout religion and therapeutic techniques. Thousands of years ago, God encouraged his followers to embrace the idea of living in the moment. In Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (NIV)- This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. What he is saying here is that God wants us to take care of ourselves, to have a good time, and to enjoy whatever job we may have. God has given us the gift of enjoying the things we have this very moment. Further, Isaiah instructs us to move on from the past because God is making a new way. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV). By dwelling on our past shortcomings, we are separating ourselves from the work that God is doing in our lives. Where the uncertainty about our health, our career, or our family looks to us like we are stuck in the wilderness, God is at work making a way through for us.By being mindful in your everyday life, you are able to truly be open to, and appreciate, what God has given you. Fully seeing, understanding, and experiencing our feelings, thoughts, and beliefs in the present gives us the freedom to accept everything, without having to attach a judgment to it. Mindful prayer allows us to tune out the world around us, build a close, meaningful relationship with God, and experience what it is that He is doing in our lives. It gives us the clarity to decide what steps we can take to begin experiencing more happiness, enjoyment, and triumph in the year ahead. My hope for all of us is that in 2018 we can explore what it is to live in the moment during our time with the people around us, our time with God, and our time with ourselves.​Interested in learning more about mindfulness and how you can incorporate it into your day? Check out this TED talk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzR62JJCMBQ

Recently a friend sent me a link to a sermon on “The Wound” and it reaffirmed some realities I see in my own life and experience daily as I sit with people in my counseling office.Wounds are those things that happen as we live in a fallen and broken world.They are often caused by others in our lives that actually love us and really do want what’s best for us – they are also caused by people who are hurt and wounded themselves – like the old adage says’ “hurt people, hurt people.”But regardless of who caused the wounds in our lives and even their motives, good or bad, we all have wounds.I believe these woundsin our lives then grow into fears.Fears like, insecurity, inferiority, fear of failure and rejection.These fears then impact how we live and love and function – mostly these fears limit us and create barriers and dysfunction.

Ultimately, our relationship with God restores us and helps us cope with these wounds and overcome our fears.There are a few Biblical truth’s that help remind me that Jesus does come and bring comfort to those who are wounded and broken.

First, by knowing and growing in Jesus we are free!In John 8:32 Jesus said, “You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.”He goes on to say in John 14:6 that the truth is not a concept but it is Him and a relationship with Him,when He states that He is this Truth, “I am the way the Truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.”He is the big “T” truth not just a concept or construct or way of living.

Secondly, the freedom and comfort Jesus offers us in our wounds is something that we are to live out of and share with others.In 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 the Apostle Paul says it this way, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”

Here is the link to the sermon that my friend shared with me. It is called “The Wound” by Adam Young. I hope it encourages you as it did me to continue to run to Christ and other safe people to find comfort and freedom in my wounds.